Riley to leave Pueblo, run Colorado Springs fire department

Pueblo Fire Chief Chris Riley (right) talks with Master Sgt. Dylan Jacketta of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office prior to a group of local pumpers and brush trucks being sent to help in the Waldo Canyon Fire in June 2012. (Chieftain photo/Bryan Kelsen)

Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach made that announcement Monday.

Riley’s appointment is to be confirmed by the Colorado Springs City Council on Aug. 13 and he’s expected to start Sept. 9, according to a press release.

“I am excited and deeply honored to accept the offer of an extraordinary career opportunity from Colorado Springs Mayor Stephen Bach to become fire chief pending confirmation by Colorado Springs City Council,” Riley said in a statement.

“I am, however, experiencing a degree of mixed emotions in accepting this new challenge as I leave behind the great city of Pueblo and an exceptional organization that is the City of Pueblo Fire Department, of which I have proudly called home for the last seven years.”

Officials with the city of Pueblo said that once Riley is confirmed as Colorado Springs’ chief, they will look for an interim chief.

City Manager Sam Azad called Riley “an asset to the city” and said he was “sad to see him go.”

Riley has been Pueblo’s fire chief since 2006 and during that time, Pueblo earned an international accreditation.

Riley is the president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Missouri Valley Division and is chairman of the IAFC’s professional development committee and secretary of the Institute of Fire Engineering.

He is the past president of the Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association.